Inhalation device for use in aviation at high altitudes



I y J. A. HElDBRlNK 2.248.349

INHALATION DEVICE FOR USE INIAViATION AT HIGH.ALTITUDES Filed Dec. 14,1959

Inventor:

.H 'd r-unk.

t'tor e Patented Jul 8, 1941 2,248,349

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INHALATION DEVICE FOR USE IN AVIATION AT HIGH ALTITUDES Jay A. Heidbrink, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Air Reduction Company, Incorporated, a corporation of New York Application December 14, 1939, Serial No. 309,172 Claims. (01.128-202) My invention relates to inhalation devices pressures, it would put too great a load on the for use in aviation at high altitudes, wherein breatherinldwer altitudes. a mask is employed which provides a breathing I have discovered that if the sponge rubber chamber sealed upon the face of the wearer so closure in the air admission and exit openings as to include either the nose alone or both the is proportionately compacted as elevation innose and mouth of the wearer, and to which creases in proportion to the elevation attained is connected in close proximity thereto a reand consequent d e o p es u d a e breathing bag which is of a volume substanuation of the air, it will at the same time maintially less than the volume of a full. exhalation or thin. the degree o S te e required r P op inhalation in normal breathing, with oxygen fed p el na y e pty n a d filling of the to the rebreathing bag and an outlet to atmosbreathing bag a W retain a desired relation phere closed by a layer of porous material such as of O y delivered to the inhalation d v sponge rubber, which operates to store heat and s shown by t w meter. to t t l volprevent frost forming on its surface at high lime introduced a d e pe d rom the altitudes and low temperatures, and which also breathing dev It therefore, a principal has the effect of cooperatin with the oxygen obje o y i ve to p ov e m ns assosupply to the rebreathing bag to tend to reguelated with sp n e rubber los e w h late the relative amounts of oxygen inthe alvewill progressively cempaet the Sponge u b olar air. forming such closure as higher and higher alti- In such devices the sponge rubber closure tudes are reached to maintain a substantially provides a slight restriction to normal breathconstant resistance to inlet d Outlet Of a ing such that upon inhalation the rebreathing and thereby to m int in a substantially conbag will be emptied first taking directly int stant volume of air breathed on inhalation and the lungs the oxygen enriched contents of said expelled 0h exhalationrebreathing bag, and thereafter the air will I e dis ove e a su a r u may enter through the sponge rubber closure to mix be'effeeted in a hlghlysatlsfectol'y e with the gases already breathed in the alveolar re tly related to degre o elevation and reducpassageways and produce alveolar air of.a suittion of p es by providing means Surable oxygen content. Similarly, on exhalation rounding e Sponge rubber closure nd the restriction will have the effect of causing contacting t, which wi l xpan as air p sur the rebreathing bag to fill with the first of the e uces, and which exp nsi directed p exhalation and thereafter to permit the latter e sp ge bh C su e. And it. iS. an

apart of the exhalation, which includes that part bje t of my invention t provide means most heavily charged with carbon dioxide, to r und t sp n e ru er cl su e which will pass through the sponge rubber closure to atav t pr p y f expanding s air pr ssur mosphere. In this manner not only is suitable p d w ch is SO he d that t e movement alveolar air obtained, but the carbon dioxide of expansion Will fe t Compacting 0f the p e released lnthe lungs is sufiiciently expelled from u r sure det rmi d by t d e f elethe system. vatlon and reduction of air pressure.

As the air pressure drops and the air becomes 40 It a further object of m lhvelltien to promore attenuated in higher elevations encounvide 8 j i {01$ the shonge rubber closure tered,. for example, in aviation, this attenuated which hold an expansiPle annular air-tight air will pass more readily through the mesh tube in manner slm'oundmg and engaging the of the sponge rubber so that there will be sponge rubber closure} whereby the expansion of air in said tube, as air pressure without rechanges both in the resistance set up and in duces, will have the efiect of gripping and the actual volume of air going to the wearer at pacting the sponge rubber forming the closure g i' nudes 33: v i ave the "It is a further object of my invention to pro- P0551 Perml g o drawn vide a sponge rubber closure having an annular n and expelled In advance of emptymg and groove therein and seating said closure in a filling the Tebreathmg. also wOuld holder with openings through the holder f t the proportions of Oxygen in the alveolar wherein is seated an annular air-tight tube subair. On the o her h n if h sp l l ject to change of air pressure at varying eleclosure were made so dense as to prevent this vations and held to expand only towards the result in higher altitudes or at low atmospheric closure to compact the same.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and the novel features by which the advantageous results of my invention are obtained are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing illustrating an application of my invention in some of its forms:

Fig. 1 is a sectional part fragmentary view showing my invention .applied to an oronasal mask as the same will appear when worn by an individual.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3, viewed in the direction of the arrows, of Fig, 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a part of a nasal mask showing my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 5 is a semi-diagrammatic view of an oxygen tank, regulating valve, and flow meter all of well known construction. .1

As shown, an oronasal mask I is provided with a main body II and margins |2 adapted to contact 'the face of a wearer as shown in Fig. 1, so as to provide a breathing chamber l3 to which the nostrils and mouth of the wearer communicate. An aperture I4 is formed in the front of the oronasal mask positioned opposite the mouth of the wearer, or, as shown in Fig. 4, a similar aperture is positioned in the wall l6 of a nasal mask H which comes normally below the nostrils of the wearer. A cylindrical and must result in compacting the sponge rubber of the button a greater or less degree as the air pressure grows less or greater. This compacting of button 33 provides increased restriction of passage of air through it which isinversely proportionate to the tendency of the air as it becomes more attenuated to move in increased volumes through the sponge rubber pad which closes the opening to atmosphere from the breathing chamber. This results in maintaining'a. substantially uniform volume of inlet of air on inhalation, and also on exhalation, at varying elevations and consequent varying pressures, and also uniform breathing restriction.

A rebreathing bag 40 is provided with a neck 4| reinforced by a band 42 and is adapted to be held upon the tube walls 43 of passageway 44 going from breathing chamber |3 of oronasal mask II, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. By this means the rebreathing bag 40 is secured upon the oronasal mask II. By similar means the rebreathing bag 40 is attached to nasal mask I! wherein a pair of air tubes 45 (of which only one is shown in Fig. 4) unite in a cross tube 46 from which extends a connector tube 41 similar to the connector tube 43 to which the neck 4| of'the rebreathing bag "is secured.

holder I8 is provided with flanges I9, 20, Figs.

1 and 4, which form an annular groove 2|. Within this groove 2| is seated the edge of the opening M from oronasal mask II or the edge of the opening Hi from the nasal mask IT, by which the holder I8 is secured either upon the oronasal mask or the nasal mask, as may be desired.

The holder l8 and the parts carried by it are in substance the same whether applied to the oronasal mask or to the nasal mask, and are shown in detail in Figs. 1 and 3. The holder comprises annular flanges 22 and 23 which surround centrally disposed openings 24 and 25. Within the holder I8 is a ring 26 of hard rubber having sloping walls 21 and 28 and a base wall 29, which latter seats on the inside of the holder l8 between flanges 22 and 23 and engages the bottom insides of said flanges as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Toward the apex of ring 26 is formed an annular groove 30 semi-circular 3| of treated rubber or other material impervious to air passage but capable of a desired degree of elastic expansion. This annular tube 3| provides a central opening 32 in communication in both directions with the openings 24 and 25through the holder l8.

A pad or button 33 of, very fine mesh porous sponge rubber is shaped in cross section as in cross section in which is seated a. sealed tube The rebreathing bag 40 as stated, will be of a size substantially less in maximum volume than the volume of an inhalation or exhalation in normal breathing. Its walls will be formed of flexible rubber of a type which will not freeze or unduly stlfien at very low temperatures, say as low as F. below zero. A tube 48 leads into the rebreathing bag 40 as shown in Fig. 1. This tube extends to a flow meter 49 and a connector tube 50 to a regulating valve 5| operated by a hand valve'52 which is in communication with a supply of compressed oxygen from the oxygen tank 53. The flow meter 43 indicates the volume of flow of ozwgen which may be regulated at will by the hand valve 52.

The operation and advantages of my invention have been given in the foregoing detailed description. As higher elevations and greater attenuation of the atmosphere are entered the relative amount of oxygen supplied to the rebreathing bag 40 must be increased, it being understood that through adjustment of valve 52 a constant flow of oxygen into the rebreathing bag, as shown. by the flow meter, is set up at whatever rate of flow or volume of oxygen per minute is indicated.

Under normal conditions of use, without the application of my invention to the sponge rubber closure, the restriction to breathing set up thereshown in Fig. 1, with a grooved portion 34 adapted to engage the tube 3| and wing portions 35 and 36 extending between flange 22 and ring-wall face 21 on one side, and flange 23and ring-wall face 28 on the other side.

It will be apparent that the annular tube 30, being subject to the air pressure through the porous sponge rubber button 33 and being filled with air at normal sea level pressure, will, as greater and greater elevations and lower and lower surrounding atmospheric pressures are reached, expand. This expansion can only go in the direction of the sponge rubber button 33 by'would diminish as greater elevations and lower pressures arereached which would result in increased volumes of air relatively going to the lungs, to such an extent as possibly to prevent either emptying or filling of the rebreathing bag. But through the expansion of the annular pneumatic tube, moving only toward the encircled sponge rubber closure, the latter will be compacted more and more as higher elevations and lower, air pressures are reached. This compacting. will maintain substantially the same restriction to breathing in higher altitudes of .air at reduced pressures as in lower or sea level altitudes and pressures, which will maintain substantially th same ratio of input and exit of air through inhalation and exhalation. Also, since therestriction remains substantially stant the emptying of the rebreathing bag upon inhalation before air is drawn in through the sponge rubber closure, and the filling of the rebreathing bag with the gases of exhalation before any of them pass through the closure to atmosphere will be kept substantially constant. The purposes of the sponge rubber closure are thus attained and there is'prevention of undue dilution of the inhaled gases by attenuated air at low pressures and undue exhaust of exhalations to atmosphere, all of which not only maintain the desired comfortable breathing action and proportions of added oxygen to inhaled air, but at the same time prevent waste of the costly oxygen.

I claim:

1. An inhalation device comprising a casing that forms a breathing chamber when the casing is applied to the face of the wearer, a rebreathing bag having connection with said breathing chamber and having a maximum volume substantially less than the volume of an exhalation or inhalation in normal breathing, an aperture from said breathing chamber, a pad of porous material such as sponge rubber in said aperture through which gases on inhalation and exhalation must pass, and means engaging said pad and responsive to variations of air pressure which will act upon the same to compact it as air pressure falls and thus will maintain the breathing restriction set up by the sponge rubber closure substantially constant and will prevent increased volumes of air passing through the pad as-air pressure diminishes.

2. An inhalation device comprising a casing that forms a breathing chamber when the casing is applied to the face of the wearer, a rebreathing bag heaving connection with said breathing chamber and having a maximum volume substantially less than the volume of an exhalation or inhalation in normal breathing, an aperture from said breathing chamber, a pad of porous material such as sponge rubber in said aperture through which gases on inhalation and exhalation must pass, a holder for said pad connected with the casing and an expansible pneumatic tube within the holder and engaging the edges of said pad so that as said pneumatic tube expands due to fall of air pressure it will compact the pad and thus will maintain the breathing restriction set up by the sponge rubber closure substantially constant and will prevent increased volumes of air passing through the pad as air pressure diminishes.

3. In a mask having a breathing chamber adapted when worn to enclose a breathing passage of the wearer and form a breathing 'chamber about said breathing passage, an aperture from said breathing chamber, a holding member secured to the edges of said aperture, an annular pneumatic tube secured to said holding member, and a sponge rubber pad having its-edges engaged by said annular pneumatic tube, said pneumatic tube being responsive to changes in air pressure so that as air pressure falls the pad will be compacted and will increase restraint of external air flow through it, and when air pressure increases the tube will lessen the degree of compaction of the pad to permit greater flow of air through it.

4. In a mask having a breathing chamber adapted when worn to enclose a breathing passag-e of the wearer and form a breathing chamber about said breathing passage, an aperture from said breathing chamber, a holding ring secured to the edges of said aperture, an annular pneumatic tube secured within said holding ring, and a sponge rubber pad having its edge formed with an annular groove engaged by said annular pneumatic tube and held in the ring thereby, said pneumatic tube being responsive to changes in air pressure so that as air pressure falls the pad will b compacted and will increase restraint of external air flow through it, and when air pressure increases the tube will lessen the degree of compaction of the pad to permit greater flow of air through it.

5. In a mask having a breathing chamber adapted when worn to enclose a breathing passage of the wearer and form a breathing chamber about said breathing passage, an aperture from said breathing chamber, a holding ring secured to the edges of said aperture formed with annular flanges providing an annular channel, an annular holder block having its base engaging the bottom of said channel and having sloping side walls reaching to the inner margins of said flanges, an annular channel in the holder block, a pneumatic tube in said annular channel, and a sponge rubber pad having portions extending into the spaces betweenthe flanges and the holder block and surrounding and engaging said sponge rubber pad and being held positioned in the holder block thereby.

JAY A. HEIDBRINK. 

